An apparatus is known from the European patent specification EP-B-0 564 025 in the name of the applicant. In the known apparatus, organ packages, in particular entrails packages, are conveyed in a tray conveyor to a processing station where the entrails packages are separated into separate parts such as the intestines, the liver, and heart with lungs. Such apparatus, according to the preamble, can be used for conveying organ-packages in the trays from an inspection station, where the organ packages are inspected for conformity with health regulations, to a processing station at which the organs of the organ-packages are harvested. The harvesting is carried out by harvesting machines that are usually placed in parallel to each other and perpendicular to the conveying direction of the apparatus in which the organ packages are conveyed.
In the transfer of the organ packages at the discharge station for moving the packages to the processing station or stations, it is desired that the orientation of the organ packages is maintained such that the organs which are to be harvested are lying at the top part of the organ packages. This promotes optimal performance of the harvesting machine. It is therefore an object of the apparatus and method of the invention for conveying organ packages to a processing station or stations, that the orientation of the organ packages is maintained during the transfer of the packages from the tray or trays to the processing station or stations.